Writing For Charity 2012

There will be no picture accompanying this post because I forgot to take any. I remembered my camera and everything, I just forgot to pull it out and shoot some pics. As a quick explanation Writing for Charity is a one day writing conference started in 2009 by Shannon Hale. All the proceeds from the (very affordable) registration fees and all the money earned from the silent auction go directly to buy books for kids. Great cause and great conference!

I went to the last Writing for Charity (W4C) in 2010 and it was a great experience. The last time I signed up literally the day before so I had no time to prepare. This year I took the time to read books by the authors I would come in contact with. I also took the time to read up on each of them so I would know what their strengths were that I could gain from. My writing partner Jenel and I went together (which is fitting because it was W4C 2010 where we first became writing friends).

Part of the conference was the opportunity to have a one-on-one critique by one of the authors there. You were assigned based on your top 3 picks. My top three were Shannon Hale, Brodi Ashton (author of Everneath), and my third choice should have been Kristen Chandler (author of Girls Don't Fly). About 90% of the attendees wanted to be in Shannon's group and the limit was 7 people. I had great confidence that I would be chosen for Shannon's group. This (perhaps misguided) positive thinking must have worked because Ms. Hale read the first two pages of my Cinderella re-imagining The Stone Flower.

The rest of the conference was really good too. Jenel and I went to every class together even though we hadn't planned it that way. I think my favorite class was the one about Critique Groups; it really made me appreciate the great professional and personal relationship that Jenel and I have.

By the way, Brodi Ashton and Kristen Chandler were both awesome! I recommend you go out and buy their books immediately.